Devices and methods for modulating medium delivery

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for controlling, regulating, altering, transforming or otherwise modulating the delivery of a substance to a delivery site. The devices, systems and methods optimize the delivery of the substance to an intended site, such as a vessel, vascular bed, organ and/or other corporeal structures, while reducing inadvertent introduction or reflux substance to other vessels, vascular beds, organs, and/or other structures, including systemic introduction.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of performing an angiographic evaluation utilizing radiographic contrast medium in a system, the system comprising:
 a vial configured to contain the contrast medium; 
 a delivery catheter configured to deliver the contrast medium to a patient; 
 a syringe configured to draw the contrast medium from the vial and inject the contrast medium through the delivery catheter; 
 a first valve operable to open or close a first fluid pathway between the vial and the syringe; 
 a modulator configured to receive a portion of the contrast medium within a chamber, said chamber configured to apply a force on the portion of the contrast medium received within the chamber; 
 a second valve, said second valve positioned between the modulator and the syringe, said second valve operable to open or close a second fluid pathway fluidly connecting the syringe and the modulator; 
 
       the method comprising:
 drawing the contrast medium from the vial into the syringe through the first fluid pathway, said drawing performed with the first valve open and the second valve closed; and 
 delivering the contrast medium from the syringe to the patient through a third fluid pathway fluidly connecting the syringe and the catheter, said delivering performed with the first valve closed and the second valve open, wherein said contrast medium is simultaneously fluidly directed to the modulator through the second fluid pathway and to the delivery catheter through the third fluid pathway. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the delivering the contrast medium is directed to a vascular site within a body of the patient. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said force within the chamber is produced at a constant, predetermined value. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the delivering the contrast medium to the patient is achieved at a flow rate that remains substantially unchanged during the delivering. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said flow rate is a function of the force applied by the chamber and a second force applied by the syringe. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the flow rate corresponds to a pressure range of the portion of the contrast medium within the chamber. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the delivering the contrast medium is directed to a blood vessel of the patient, and wherein the flow rate is less than a blood flow rate in the blood vessel. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the flow rate is sufficient to opacify a blood vessel of the patient. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing at least part of the portion of the contrast medium from the chamber to the delivery catheter. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing at least part of the portion of the contrast medium from the chamber to a location other than the delivery catheter. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the system further includes a third valve in the third fluid pathway positioned between the syringe and delivery catheter, the method including closing the third valve when a low threshold pressure of the contrast medium in the second fluid pathway is not maintained.